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Demand- Supply scenario of Coal for Power sector in India

All India demand for the coal based power utilities sector during 2014-15 has been assessed by the Ministry of Coal / Planning Commission to be 551.60 Million Tonnes (MTs), whereas the supply of coal to this sector has been projected to be 466.89 MTs during 2014-15.

During the period April-May, 2014, coal based power plants have generated 134.9 Billion Units (BU) as compared to 121.2 BU generated during the same period of last year, registering a growth of 11.3%. As on 29.6.2014, out of 100 coal based power plants monitored by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), 44 power plants were having critical coal stock of less than 7 days’ requirement, out of which 26 power plants were having super critical coal stock of less than 4 days’ requirement.

The number of Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) affected for want of coal (state-wise) is as under:

Name of the State

TPPs having Critical Stock

TPPs having Super Critical Stock

Delhi

1

0

Haryana

1

0

Punjab

1

0

Rajasthan

2

1

Uttar Pradesh

4

3

Chhattisgarh

4

4

Gujarat

2

1

Madhya Pradesh

5

2

Maharashtra

8

7

Andhra Pradesh

3

3

Telangana

2

0

Karnataka

1

0

Tamil Nadu

2

0

Bihar

1

1

Jharkhand

1

1

Orissa

2

1

West Bengal

4

2

Total

44

26

In order to ensure adequate availability of coal, Coal India Limited (CIL) has been impressed upon to enhance production of domestic coal in the country and power utilities have also been advised to enhance import of coal. In addition to above, with a view to monitor coal supplies to Power Utility Sector, an Inter-Ministerial Sub-Group comprising representatives of Ministry of Power, Ministry of Coal and Ministry of Railways takes various operational decisions for meeting any contingent situations relating to Power sector including critical coal stock position.

CIL has offered all Power Generating Companies drawing coal under Fuel Supply Agreements (FSAs), to lift the coal on “as is where is” basis with the stipulation that they will make their own evacuation arrangements. This scheme was earlier implemented by the coal companies and has been extended for 2014-15 also. All TPPs including National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) having FSA from CIL sources have been informed to lift coal under this scheme by arranging their own logistics for movement from coal offered from various pithead locations. CIL has also offered 1 MT of coal from cost plus mines of Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) through short term Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as extension of above scheme to power stations of NTPC presently facing critical stock issues arising out of less receipt of coal from other coal companies.

The Government have allocated coal blocks to private companies for captive consumption of coal in their end use plants in specified sectors viz. Steel, Power, Cement etc. 20 such captive coal blocks allocated to private companies have come under production as of March, 2014. The production from these 20 coal blocks during the year 2013-14 was 25.276 MT.